


You Found Me (Can I Stay?)

by Sleepless_Nights



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Vernon Boyd & Erica Reyes, Alternate Universe, Gen, Sheriff Stilinski Knows About Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-03-05 04:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3105857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sleepless_Nights/pseuds/Sleepless_Nights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek Hale is the adoptive father of four year old Isaac Lahey, a boy who has been through way too much for his four short years. An abusive father and subsequent rough foster homes is a lot for a child to have to go through, especially for one so young. It's enough to make it so he never trusts anyone ever again. Though Isaac has seemed to find a person he can trust and feel safe with in Derek and his pack of rowdy, yet loving werewolves. With the help of the pack, Melissa McCall and Sheriff Stilisnki, hopefully Isaac and Derek will find peace in each other. This will be a series of one shots consisting of various moments from Derek and Isaac's daily lives, including big moments and little moments.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fever

 “Well, you definitely have a fever, buddy.” Those were not the words that Derek wanted to hear. Isaac, his 4 year-old adopted son, had been lethargic and extremely grumpy all day, causing Derek to ask Melissa to see him. Derek was currently sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair, trying his best to prevent a tantrum from popping off. “How high is it?” Derek hesitantly inquired, hoping against hope that it wasn’t terribly high. “I’m afraid that it’s pretty high. It’s 101.4 degrees.”  
‘Damn’ the only word that Derek could think of in response at that point. He felt so bad for Isaac, the little boy who had already been through so much. He glanced down at the ill boy in his lap and had use every bit of his self control to refrain from cooing at the sight. His head full of soft, dirty blond curls was resting on Derek’s shoulder and a tiny thumb was in his mouth. Isaac was completely conked out, the fever and coughing having raised just enough havoc to make the preschooler grumpy and tired. Melissa smiled and chuckled softly at the boy before her eyes.  
The thumb sucking was a seemingly unbreakable habit that Isaac developed as a way of dealing with stress and fear. If you were to ask Derek, the last thing a 4 year old should ever have to come up with is a coping mechanism. Dwelling upon it made him angrier than anything else ever had, so he tried his best not to think about it too often. Isaac was safe now; he was loved. A pack of people that would give him the moon if he asked for it surrounded him. The pack absolutely adored Isaac from the minute Derek adopted him and brought him home.

The gruff looking man was brought back to reality by Melissa’s fingers snapping in front of his face. “Hey, you with us?” She asked, slightly concerned. He noticed she said “we” and looked down, only to be met with large, sky blue eyes intently locked on him. The little boy looked somewhat worried and Derek wanted to stem that right away since his eyes were already a little wet. He had forgotten for a second that Isaac was extra sensitive when he was sick. That could lead to a disaster on a massive scale due to the boy being very sensitive to begin with.  
He smiled warmly down at Isaac, not that it took very much effort at all. He usually did nothing but smile when he was around Isaac. “Look who decided to join us again?” Isaac shifted in Derek’s lap so he was on his knees, facing Derek straight on. Derek put a hand on either side of the small boy’s torso in case he got a little wobbly; Isaac wasn’t always the most graceful kid and him being sick didn’t help whatsoever. Isaac just looked at Derek with not much of an expression on his face, almost as if he was sizing him up. Derek broke whatever was going on by swooping in to quickly peck Isaac on his face and then on his cheek.  
His face dissolved into a large smile and a miniscule giggle found its way out of his mouth. He felt like his heart would just burst from seeing it. He lived for seeing Isaac smile and laugh and anything else that indicated he was happy. Derek almost forgot Melissa was in the room with them until he happened to glance up and see a fond smile upon her face due to the scene she was witnessing.

“Well, you’re free to go. Just keep a close watch on his fever and give him some fever reducer if it gets any higher, and for the cough some cough syrup should drive it right out of town.” She pulled a funny voice at the end, which got another small giggle out of Isaac.

Derek got up from the uncomfortable chair, relieved that he could finally feel his backside again. He had Isaac on his hip and he made sure to ask Isaac directly if he wanted to be carried or if he would like to walk.  
“Would you like me to carry you or do you want to walk?” he asked looking Isaac in the eye. Isaac looked shyly at Derek, not wanting to be seen as a baby but also not wanting to walk right now. “I wanna be carried”, he said in that tiny voice of his. Derek smiled at him and responded with “Alright, well this train’s out then. Thanks again, Melissa.” Derek knew it was one of her days off, but she seemed to be more than happy to see Isaac on such short notice. “You’re very welcome. Come back anytime and call me if you have any questions” she smiled sweetly at them and waved them off. “Will do.” And with that, the pair left the doctor’s office and headed for home.

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

  
By the time they arrived at Derek’s loft, Isaac was dead asleep in his booster seat. Derek knew this because he kept on glancing at the boy in the review mirror. This caused him to smile and also hope that Isaac would stay asleep for a bit after he got him out of his carseat. He parked the car in the closest spot possible to the entrance and then proceeded in the careful process of removing a sick preschooler from the car without waking him up. He was nearly successful, but as soon as he started up the first flight of stairs, Isaac started squirming in his arms. Derek began shushing him gently, trying to soothe him back into the clutches of sleep. His efforts seemed to work for a minute but inevitably the boy’s eyes slowly opened and so began the waterworks.

“Isaac, calm down buddy. We’re almost home and then we’ll be able to cuddle, okay?” Isaac was having none of Derek’s attempts at soothing words. His crying escalated into full on sobs and Derek felt himself growing annoyed; not at Isaac but at the situation. He could never really be angry at Isaac.  
Here he is, climbing up the stairs while trying not to drop the wriggling child in his arms. This was his life now. He adjusted the boy to a better position and continued his trek up the four flights of stairs. After struggling to unlock his door with one hand, the other arm being busy supporting Isaac, they were finally home.  
He physically slumped in relief when he entered the loft; the day’s been nothing short of exhausting. He made a beeline for the sofa so he could lay Isaac down for a second, but probably for no more than an actual second. The four year old was extra clingy when he was sick, tired, scare, or all of the above. It would a miracle if he didn’t follow right behind Derek the minute he was placed on the cushion. By the time Derek had closed the door and made it to the kitchen, Isaac was hot on his heels; as per his predictions.

He felt two small had attach themselves to the right leg of his pants. With that, the sensation of a face burying into his leg came right afterwards. He glanced down, taking his attention off the Frozen themed cup he was filling with juice, to see Isaac clutching onto his legs. He looked as if he were trying to become a part of Derek. He screwed the top back on the bottle of apple juice and then leaned down to hoist the boy up onto his hip. “For someone so sick, you sure do move quickly.” he joked. The only reply he received was a whiny “Daddy.” “Okay, not quite the time for jokes now, is it?” Isaac shook his head in return. “Derek’s sorry then, bub.” He got no reply that time, just the sound of a thumb being sucked and soft breaths through a small nose. Leaving the kitchen with the cup in one hand and Isaac in the other, he made his way to the sofa. He wanted to let the small boy rest but he had to get some fluids into him first, maybe a nibble or two of something if he was really lucky. “Isaac. You need to drink at least some of this before you nap, okay?” He spoke softly while slightly jiggling him in an effort to rouse him. Blue eyes peeked open a bit, a look of dissatisfaction coming over his face. “ But I wanna sleep, Derek.” the tiny voice proclaimed. “I know you do, buddy, but you need to drink a little before you nap.” he coaxed the little boy into a semi upright position and held the cup in front of his face, nearly resting it against his mouth. Isaac conceded and leaned forward to put his mouth on the rim, not even bothering to grab it. Apparently he was content with Derek doing most of the work; not that Derek minded. He tilted the cup slowly and watched Isaac’s throat contract as he swallowed. He ended up downing about all of it, only leaving a tiny bit in the bottom. “Good boy” he made sure to praise him for doing something he didn’t want to do.

“Now you can nap for a bit.” Isaac sighed in relief and immediately drifted off. Derek contemplated putting him in his own bed but decided to leave him in the living room. He carefully laid his son down so that his head was resting on a pillow. He covered him with a light blanket and watched the boy curl up into it, snuggling his face into the pillow. The sight alone made a smile come to Derek’s face. He took a second to run his finger softly through the boy’s hair, feeling the golden curls form to his fingers.  
He heard a car drive by the building outside that sounded like Boyd’s. He chuckled, always confounded at how they manage to miss the turn every single time they come here. He then heard the same car turn back around and entered the parking lot for the building. He rolled his eyes as he could hear them coming up the stairs; not that it was hard. Erica was too busy sniping at Boyd about him missing the turnoff for the billionth time to pay any mind to the noise they’re making. Forget the fact that he has a sick child sleeping only about 50 feet from the door. He stood at the door so that the moment they got close enough, he could open with a less than amused expression on his face. It only took 20 more seconds, and then he swung the door open. They both immediately ceased their bickering and attempted to look casual. “In case you didn’t know, there is a sleeping four year old right inside who is also sick and in a terribly foul mood, so if you would so kindly keep it down” he bitched at the couple. They had the decency to look guilty and mumble apologies at him.

He let them in the door, convinced that they’ll do their best from here on out to be as quiet as possible. Thankfully, Isaac still laid there, caught up in a deep sleep. If he had any luck at all, he would stay that way for at least another hour. Though, if he were to be honest with himself, Derek's never been very lucky.


	2. The First Night part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac's first night in his new home. This chapter is broken into two parts and part two will be coming very soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided to change the story to a kind of a series of different moments from Derek and Isaac's lives. They won't be in any particular order. Writing it this way makes it a lot easier for me because the story doesn't form linearly in my mind. This way, it won't be hard for me to write and it won't be confusing for anyone to read, I hope. I feel like I rambled a bit in this chapter, so be warned.

If anyone had told Derek 6 years ago when he was 20 that he would be adopting a four year old boy that had been abused by not only his father but also 3 pairs of foster parents, he probably would have laughed at them. 

In the present, he was about 24 hours away from brining home his son. Sheriff Stilinski had been there when the boy was taken away from his father, George Lahey. He was also there when Isaac was rescued from the last abusive house. Opposite from his father and the two other houses that had physically and emotionally abused him, the last foster parents completely ignored and neglected him. Derek had been looking to adopt for a couple years now, but the number of hoops he had to jump through had taken a year alone. He was a single, 24 year old male; they weren’t just going to hand him a child. 

Stilinski was pretty crucial in Derek adopting Isaac before the boy had to be put in yet another foster home. Derek was one the first people the sheriff told about Isaac’s case; knowing that the young man had been looking to adopt for over 2 years at that point. That gave him an advantage in being approved by not only the social worker but also the adoption agency.  


Fast forward to now, the night before Isaac would officially move into Derek’s loft. Derek was beyond nervous. There was so much riding on this working; not for him, but for Isaac. He deserved to have a loving home that he could feel safe and secure in. Because of this, he couldn’t help but go through everything he needed to have done before tomorrow to make sure that he hadn’t forgotten anything. The social worker had required Derek to allow her to inspect his home to make sure it was suitable for a child. She also suggested he attend a lecture specifically for people adopting or looking to adopt children that have suffered from abuse, which he attended twice. Isaac’s room was all set up with furniture, freshly painted walls, toys, a closet and dresser full of clothes. He had made sure to give Isaac the room closest to his in case Isaac needed him during the night for whatever reason. He did his very best to make sure everything was in order, but the nagging fear that his efforts would fall short was constantly in the back of his mind.  
Needless to say, Derek didn’t sleep very much at all. 

The next morning, Derek was up and already getting ready at 7:00am even though Isaac wasn’t going to be arriving until later in the afternoon. He wanted to triple check everything, if for nothing else but to ease his mind a bit. The social worker, Mrs. Leftwich, told him that they would spend the morning getting Isaac ready to leave the orphanage he was staying in until he was originally going to be placed with temporary foster parents. Luckily, he only ended up having to stay in the lifeless looking building for a week and a half. Much too long in Derek’s opinion, but not near as long as he would’ve had to stay if not for the adoption being approved so quickly.  
After he made sure everything was in place, it was already 9:00. The waiting was absolutely killing him, and he was looking at about 6 more hours of waiting. He guessed it was time for him to buckle down and read to pass the time. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ 

It turns out that he didn’t have to wait much longer after all. Mrs. Leftwich - who refused to give her first name - called and told him that they’d be there at 12:00 sharp. She crossed him as a nice woman, but a little stiff and cross. That’s most likely a result of the job she does, which is understandable. It’s probably not possible to have a job like that and stay completely optimistic and untouched by what you see on a daily basis. 

The following three hours passed relatively quick, and the next thing Derek knew, it was 12 o’clock on the dot. He promptly heard a knock on the door accompanied by the door bell going off twice, just in case the solid knock wasn’t audible enough to hear though out the quiet house. He steeled himself and went to answer the door, knowing exactly who was on the other side. He opened the door and looked at what was waiting for him. A middle age woman with a slim figure holding the hand of a blond haired, blue eyed boy who was looking more and more scared by the second. He made sure to put the warmest, most welcoming smile on his face. This moment would define how his relationship with this child would form and how it would progress as time went on. He looked up to meet Mrs. Leftwich’s eyes and he remembered that he should’ve let them in about 5 seconds ago. “Hello, Mrs. Leftwich.” 

The greeting was half-hearted at best because he was preoccupied with how to approach Isaac. “Hello again, Derek. I trust that everything is in order and set up for Isaac to live here.” He didn’t appreciate her tone; it was almost as if she expected him to be completely unprepared and frantic. He understood why she seemed to think that he would be incompetent when it came to caring for a child, to an extent. He turned his attention away from her and to the little boy; hoping he wasn’t scarred already. He made sure to move steadily and slowly as he knelt down so he was more on Isaac’s level. “You must be Isaac. My name is Derek, Derek Hale. Now, I have a very important question for you…what is your favorite color?” He can tell that he threw the little boy off. He could practically see the wheels turning in Isaac’s head, and began to regret wording the question like that. “Green.” The soft voice cut him from his obsessive thoughts and brought a smile to his face. “Well that’s fantastic. That just happens to be the same color I painted your room.” The boy looked like he wasn’t sure how to react or how he should feel about what Derek was saying to him. “Green?” Derek nodded in response, smiling at the sweet boy. The tiniest of smiles graced Isaac’s face and Derek already felt a tiny sense of accomplishment.

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Once the social worker left, Derek felt like he could actually breathe. Though he had the impression that she was a stiff, hardened woman, she proved him wrong when she said goodbye to Isaac. There was such a happy smile on her face, one that said she was relieved that Isaac will finally have a good home with someone who won’t terrorize him or break him even further. She hugged him tight, kissed his forehead, and said goodbye while beaming the entire time. The hard shell was simply that. A shell. They’re not always accurately representative of what’s inside. 

They both stood there for a minute, neither really knowing how to act or what to do. He didn’t like that it was already feeling like an uncomfortable atmosphere. The small bit of accomplishment he had experienced earlier was long gone now. Derek took the initiative and decided since it shouldn’t be put upon a child to make the first move. He once again knelt down in front of Isaac and made sure to make eye contact with him and he even remembered to keep his posture relaxed. “Would you like to take your shoes and jacket off?” The little boy nodded slowly and carefully sat down on the floor to take his little sneakers off, and then he took his jacket off while he was down there. He stood back up, looking unsure of what to do with the discarded shoes and jacket. Derek smiled and picked them up from the floor. “I’ll put these up in your room, okay?” Isaac nodded and looked up to Derek, probably looking for some direction. “Do you want to come with me and see your room?” He once again nodded and followed Derek up the narrow flight of stairs. 

When Derek opened the door to the bedroom, he tried his best not to blatantly stare at Isaac even though he really wanted to witness his reaction. The little boy’s face lit up in something that can only be described as awe. A small grin broke across his face and Derek doesn’t think he’d ever had a more heartwarming moment in a long time. Isaac’s eyes cut to Derek’s and stuttered out in voice drenched in disbelief “For me?” After swallowing in an effort to get his hear out of his throat, Derek nodded. “Yeah, buddy, this is all for you. Anything you don’t like, I can take back or exchange it for some…” he trailed off due to a shadow passing over Isaac’s face. “But…I-I like all of it though. I promise.” The pleading tone in his voice gave Derek the sense that Isaac didn’t ever get to really have anything of his own, or anything he was given was taken away as a form of punishment. “Hey, every bit of it is 100% yours. Nobody is going to take anything away from you. Not me, not anyone.” 

Isaac looked uncertain but also hopeful. Derek hung the jacket up in the closet behind him and laid the shoes on the floor of the closet. He let out the breath he'd been holding for about the last 5 minutes and turned back to the child in the center of the room. "Now. Are you hungry? I'd say it's about time for lunch" He looked like he almost wanted to say no, but he must have been hungry since he let out a quiet "Yes, please." And with that, the two ventured back down the stairs to the kitchen. 

"What would you like to eat?" A simple enough question but to a kid who had been through hell, Derek might as well have asked him to solve an algebraic equation. A shrug was all he got in response, followed by a weary glance in case that somehow angered Derek. "It's okay. If you want something, you can always ask for it." That time he got nothing in response, causing him to glance at where Isaac was seated on one of the bar stools. He was looking down so far that Derek could nearly see the very top of his head. He resisted the urge to sigh, not out of disappointment or frustration but in sadness. He knew that it'd be a long process to get Isaac to feel safe enough to speak his mind without fear. He decided to make simple grilled cheese sandwiches since they were quick and hard not to like. Once they were done, he set the plate with cut sandwich and some baby carrots in front of Isaac. "You mind if I sit next to you?" Isaac shook his head after he thought about it for a couple seconds. They ate in complete silence but it wasn't an uneasy silence, which surprised Derek. He was excited/nervous to see what the rest of the afternoon and the night would bring.


	3. The First Night part 2

To say that the sheer thought of how the night could go increasingly worried Derek is an understatement. They had finished their lunch close to two hours ago and had since gotten Isaac familiar with his room and most of the loft layout. There where areas he didn’t want the boy to go, like the basement and the attic. In his file, it was listed that Isaac was petrified of dark, small spaces, for reasons that Derek tried his best not to think about. Therefore, the attic and the basement were completely off limits. He just wanted to make sure that Isaac was comfortable enough not to feel apprehensive about something as simple as finding/using the bathroom. 

He was fully potty trained and the social worker assured him countless times that Isaac didn’t require any help in that department, like him not being toilet trained would be a deal breaker. That confused him and raised so many questions but he was afraid to ask for any further elaboration, so he didn’t. Another thing that Derek had prepared for is the fact Isaac is prone to terrible nightmares, so bad that they border on night terrors. That was the main reason he put Isaac’s room right across from Derek’s. He also had a nightlight all set up, one that projected stars onto the ceiling and it gave off just enough light to make it so he’d be able to make out everything in the room. He told Isaac all of this during their tour of the loft. 

Now, they were both situated on the sofa with Frozen on the TV. When Derek had asked if there was anything he’d like to watch, the little boy said “Frozen” in a hushed voice. Derek, for obvious reasons, hadn’t seen it so he put it on without question in hopes that it would illicit some kind of positive response from him. Even he was a bit enamored by the movie’s visuals and effects,and not to mention the music. He risked a glance over to Isaac and was ecstatic at how awestruck he looked as he watched Elsa sing “Let it Go”. The hint of a smile played around the corners of his mouth and it was probably the most carefree he’s looked in a long time. By the time it was about to the end, Derek had figured out how Isaac’s favorite was. Whenever Olaf had a line or was even just in the frame, a smile crossed his face and he seemed to hang on every word. That gave Derek at least the tiniest bit of insight as to what Isaac likes, and that was enough for him at that point. 

By the time the movie ended, it was 4:30. A bit too early for dinner so they had about a half hour to 45 minutes to kill until then. “Did you like it?” He wish he didn’t sound so stiff but he figured it’d wear off with time. Isaac nodded and looked as if he wanted to ask the Derek the same but he stayed quiet. Derek filled in the silence with “I liked it, too. In fact, my favorite character is Kristoff. Do you have a favorite?” Isaac nodded and very quietly said “Olaf is my favorite.” Derek had already figured that out but he wanted to get the little boy talking about something he liked. “Why’s that?” He was afraid that he was pushing too far too soon but he felt like it was important to try to make conversation with Isaac. Just as he was beginning to panic that he had pushed a traumatized 4 year old too far, a timid voice interrupted his inner debate. “Cause he’s nice and gives hugs.” It’s a simple as that. “Yeah, he does seem really friendly, doesn’t he?” Derek smiled at Isaac and the smile was somewhat returned along with a nod. Isaac surprised Derek once again by speaking with answering a question. “You’re nice, too. You’re no-you’re not mean.” Isaac’s big, cornflower eyes were staring up at him with so much innocence that Derek couldn’t comprehend how he’d kept it after what he’d been through. Though, along with that innocence was something darker, something raw. 

“Well, I like to be nice to everyone. Being kind is much better than being mean. For instance, I’ll never be mean to you.” Isaac looked like he wanted to believe him but he wasn’t sure if he could. “Now, what do want to do until it’s dinnertime?” Isaac shrugged, his uncertainty still very present. “Do you want to watch another movie or play with some of your toys?” Derek made sure to emphasize that the toys were his and nobody else’s. He also tried to make it clear that Isaac had choices, that he could do whichever for whatever he wanted. “Movie?” Isaac formed the word into a question even though Derek had given him a choice. “Movie it is.” He decided to stick to the Disney route and went with Toy Story, thinking that it was harmless and wouldn’t accidentally remind Isaac of something painful. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ 

Isaac dozed off not too long into the movie. After he had started Toy Story, Isaac looked as if he were fighting sleep and Derek knew it was only a matter of time before he succumbed to it. Derek took this as an opportunity to start fixing dinner seeing that it was well after 5:00pm. He got to work making spaghetti with meatballs and garlic bread while making sure to look in on Isaac every now and then. He didn’t want the boy to wake up alone because he wasn’t sure how he’d react. He didn’t want Isaac to wake up alone and think that Derek really left. 

It didn’t take very long for the food to get done since he was only cooking for two people, one of those people being a small child. When it was finally done and the bread was taken out of the oven, he went to living to wake Isaac up. Isaac had moved into a more curled up position and is thumb had made its way into his mouth. It was cute scene, one that had Derek loving this boy more and more by the minute. He quietly approached the sofa and knelt down in front of the sleeping child, trying to be as calm as possible. He reached out and gently ran his fingers through Isaac’s hair in attempt to coax him awake. It worked almost immediately, Isaac’s eyes cracking open on the third or fourth pass of Derek’s fingers. He sat up abruptly and scooted so his back was pressed firmly against the sofa’s arm, sleep long forgotten. 

There was a certain amount of fear in his eyes and his facial expression but also some hesitation, signaling that the reaction was more than likely subconscious. Derek lowered his arm and made sure to put his hands where they were both visible. “It’s alright. I only woke you because dinner is ready.” Isaac still looked like he wanted to run and hide, so Derek slowly and steadily stood up and proceeded to walk back towards the kitchen. “Are you hungry? If you’re not, you don’t have to eat right now. You can eat whenever you want.” Derek knew that he was hungry, he could hear his growling from where he stood. Isaac had moved his gaze to his feet but nodded anyway. “Okay, let’s go buddy.” He slowly got up and just slowly started to walk towards the kitchen entryway, gaze still lowered to the floor. Isaac climbed back into the same stool he had sat in earlier, only glancing up when a bowl of spaghetti and cup of milk was put on the counter in front of him. They again ate in almost total silence. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

After dinner, Derek decided that Isaac’s bedtime would be at 7:00 during the weekdays and 7:30 on the weekends. Derek was pleased that Isaac had eaten nearly all of his food, including him draining his milk. The little boy was a bit thin for his age and Derek wanted him to be healthy. He’d have to remember that kids his age are meant to have a few snacks during the day. He wouldn’t force the kid to eat if he wasn’t hungry but he was going to make damn sure that Isaac knew that food wouldn’t be kept from him. He shuddered to think that people have actually done that to him in the past; denied him food as a twisted form of punishment. It was disgusting and incredibly harmful to a child still growing and whose brain was still going through significant development. 

Bath time was looming over like a dark cloud but Derek couldn't just skip over it. For one, he didn’t know the last time Isaac had been bathed and for two, putting it off would just make it that much harder for the next time. He didn’t know if Isaac was afraid of bathes because it wasn’t specifically listed anywhere and it wasn’t mentioned. He just had a feeling that it wouldn’t be pleasant. While he had been cleaning up the kitchen, Isaac had gone up to his room to hopefully get acquainted with it. He headed up after he had finished with the mess to see how Isaac would react to the prospect of a bathe. 

The bedroom door was half open so Derek could see that Isaac was crouched down in front of the toy box, digging around to see what all it held. He made sure to make his presence known so he wouldn’t frighten the boy. Isaac looked back over his shoulder and quickly withdrew his hands from the mass of toys and stood up equally as quick. He looked like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The man was quick to reassure him in a gentle tone. “You don’t have to stop playing, Isaac. Those are yours after all.” “But I didn’t ask permission.” By the tone of his voice, he said it like it was common sense. “They’re yours. You don’t need to permission from me or anyone to play with them. You can use them whenever you want, and as much as you want. Do you understand?” He still seemed a bit confused by Derek’s insistence that he didn’t need to make sure it was alright for him to play with his own toys. He eventually shook his head. Derek smiled softly and went on to say “Well, I’ll just have to remind you then.” Derek continued into the room and crouched down a few feet in front of Isaac, making it so that Isaac had some space. He looked him in the eye and, in a calm voice, said “It’s bath time.” The child looked afraid for a second but then he just seemed resigned. That bothered Derek more than a lot of the reactions Isaac has had so far. He shouldn’t know what it’s like to give up so resolutely. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

The bath experience was pretty uneventful. Derek washed his hair quickly yet efficiently and gave him a quick scrub. The water level wasn’t any higher than Isaac’s knees and Derek didn’t make him sit down. It was over in about 10 minutes. The more Isaac got used to calm bathes, Derek would try to make them more fun. He helped the boy dry off and then instructed him to pick out a pair of pajamas after showing him which drawer they were in. While he was doing that, Derek drained the small amount of water from the tub and gathered up the towels he’d laid on the floor as a precaution to throw in the laundry basket. 

When he returned to Isaac’s room, the small boy was sitting on the edge of the bed clad in green pajamas that had robots all over them. He still looked lost but not quite as much as he did before. Derek took that as a good sign. According to Derek’s phone, it was 6:56pm and he decided to have Isaac brush his teeth so he’d be in bed probably right around 7 o’clock. He supervised of course but Isaac seemed to be able to do it pretty well on his own. They walked back to the room and Isaac was dragging his feet, walking sluggishly. Derek didn’t know whether it was due to him being tired or if it was because he was scared. He crouched down beside Isaac and got his attention. “Are you sleepy?” Isaac looked hesitant but nodded his head anyway. “If you're not, you don’t have to go to bed right now.” He wasn’t going to make a kid with a history of abuse lay in a dark, quiet room by himself if wasn’t going to sleep.

“Thirsty.” Derek wanted to kick himself when he heard Isaac say that. He hadn’t had anything to drink since dinner, of course he’s thirsty. “I’m sorry, buddy, I should have given you something earlier. Water, milk, or apple juice?” He thought it over and decided on water. Derek let him bring the cup of water back to his room and he watched as Isaac slowly drank. He'd have to remember to make sure Isaac used the bathroom before he laid down. He’d finished off the water and Derek steeled himself for not a struggle but for this not to go smoothly. “Are you all set to go to sleep?” Isaac didn’t answer but he walked over to the toy box and grabbed something from if after some digging. When he walked back to the bed, Derek saw that it was a stuffed elephant. Derek hoped that maybe a stuffed animal would help him sleep. “Potty?” Derek would eventually stop being shocked whenever Isaac spoke. Derek nodded and said “Go ahead. Good job for being a big boy.” Isaac’s head dipped towards his chest in reaction to the praise and skittered off to the bathroom. 

Derek turned on the nightlight so it would already be on when the overhead light was turned off. He heard the toilet flush from down the hall and listened for the small footsteps that would follow soon after. Isaac came back though the doorway with the elephant hugged tightly to his chest. Derek smiled at the little boy and watched as he climbed into the bed the man had turned down earlier. He settled into the sheets and curled into the comforter, all with the elephant in his grasp. “If you need anything, anything at all, I’m right across the hall, okay?” Isaac nodded, his large eyes locked on Derek. “Goodnight, buddy” With that, Derek stood and before leaving the room, he flipped the light off, satisfied with how much light the nightlight gives off. He made sure to leave the door open a bit so the light he had left on in the bathroom could illuminate the hallway a bit and in turn make everything not to so dark. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Derek had gone to bed around 11:00, but before that he checked on Isaac and was thrilled to see him peacefully asleep. It took him a little while to actually fall asleep due to his inability to stop worrying even though everything seem to okay for the moment. He finally fell asleep around midnight with the hope that the tranquil quiet would last the entire night. 

That hope was destroyed when Derek was roused from his sleep at 2am by an odd noise. It was so slight that he couldn’t quite make out what it was, almost as if it were muffled. His thoughts went straight to Isaac but he waited a minute to see if he could tell whether or not it was really coming from Isaac’s room. He decided to go investigate rather than wait any longer in case it was Isaac. He found that the bathroom light was still on and Isaac’s door was still cracked, so that didn’t tell him anything. 

He slowly pushed Isaac’s door completely open and his heart nearly shattered at the scene that greeted him. The little boy had shoved himself into the upper corner of his bed with his back pressed into the corner of the wall. He had his faced buried in his elephant in an effort to silent the heartbreaking sobs tearing out of him. Derek swallowed the lump obstructing his throat and quickly approached the child. He gently sat down on the bed, causing Isaac to start at movement. He pulled his face off the stuffed animal for a second and Derek was able to see the red, tear-stained face that had earlier been hidden. “Isaac? What happened, buddy? Did you have a nightmare?” The little boy nodded in the elephant, still extremely upset. “Why didn’t you come to me? There’s not reason for you to be in here, all afraid.” That resulted in Isaac quickly shaking his head and responding with “Mad at me!” Derek was confused by that. “I would have been mad at you?” Another fast nod. “I’d never be angry at you for being scared and coming to me.” It was Isaac’s turn to be confused. He lifted his head back, little sniffles coming from him every few seconds. Derek chose to take a chance. “Baby, come here.” He held his arms out, hoping that the need for comfort and safety would win out over Isaac’s fear of rejection. 

Isaac cautiously crawled out from the corner and slowly situated himself in Derek's lap, soaking in the warmth that Derek's arms offered. Derek took a couple minutes to rock them back and forth and rub Isaac's back. Within that time, Isaac's crying ebbed and the sniffles were becoming farther and farther apart. "Now, would you like to sleep with me?" Isaac nodded, his head currently placed in Derek's neck. He stood up from the bed and placed the boy on the floor, only to have him lift his arms towards Derek, a shy expression on his face. It didn't take a child expert to know what that meant. He lifted the little boy off the ground and placed him onto his hip. 

Once they were both in Derek's bed, Isaac wasted no time in getting comfortable and timidly curled into Derek's side. Derek got himself comfortable and looked over to see Isaac already falling back asleep. It had only taken about 5 minutes for him to be fully asleep. Derek felt the peace he had experienced earlier slowly returning. They were going to be just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me longer than I originally thought it would. Mainly due to my crappy wi-fi and the internet failing when I tried to post it last night, causing me to lose the last 4 paragraphs of it. But I retyped what I wrote and hopefully it's alright.


	4. Pack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek thinks that it's a good time for Isaac to meet all of the pack, but whether or not it will actually happen depends completely on Isaac.

Isaac had been living with Derek for about 3 weeks when he decided it was time for Isaac to meet the pack as a whole. He had of course already met the Sheriff, Melissa, Scott and Stiles but he hadn’t met Boyd, Erica, Allison, Lydia, Malia, Kira, and of course he hadn’t met Peter. Derek wasn’t sure if he was going to let Peter anywhere near Isaac or not. He was leaning towards not. In the three weeks, Isaac has come out of his shell a bit but Derek knew that they still had a long way to go. Behaviors that are so deeply ingrained and conditioned are not easily broken. Isaac was still skittish when they went out in public and especially when he did something he perceived as “bad”, even it something simple asking he could have a certain type of cereal. He'd suddenly realize what he'd just done and shrink back as if he were preparing for a reprimand. Derek had to stop being horrified whenever the little boy did that because he found out quickly that it didn’t help one bit. 

On a brighter note, Derek has learned about some of the things that Isaac likes and dislikes. For example, Isaac is a huge fan of superheroes, especially Iron Man and The X-Men. Derek could easily relate with him on that topic, since Derek read every comic book he could get his hands on when he was younger. He also loves Frozen and many other Disney movies, and Olaf is probably his favorite character out of all of them. Derek had even bought him an Olaf plush, the look on Isaac’s face will be forever recorded into Derek’s memory. That quickly took the place of the elephant as Isaac’s main stuffed animal for nighttime. 

Derek was going to discuss this with Isaac to make sure that the little boy was completely comfortable with meeting everybody all at once. Just Derek mentioning it made Isaac clam up a bit but Derek was quick to reassure him that Derek was going to be there, by his side, the whole time and he was not going to be made to speak if he didn’t want to talk to anyone. “They’re really excited to meet you. Melissa’s going to be there, remember how much you like Melissa?” he said as he was gently trying to convince him that it was going to be alright. Isaac just sat in his lap with his head hidden in Derek’s neck, refusing to budge. “I don’t wanna. They don’t like me?” It was said like a question even though it was worded like a statement. They were working on improving Isaac’s speech but Derek was focused on his happiness and comfort level right now so he didn’t correct him. 

“I promise, there won’t be anyone there that isn’t going to love you.” he responded, trying to reassure the shy little boy. "And you know what? They're not just my friends, they're my family. They'll be your family too, bub." Isaac still shook his head, refusing to accept Derek’s promises of it being okay. Derek sighed in defeat, causing Isaac to stiffen and he wanted to kick himself. Isaac has only been here for a few weeks and there were certain things that Derek knew he should never do. For instance, sighing like that. To Isaac, it’s sign of clear disappointment, which even the idea of disappointing Derek is devastating to Isaac. “No, no baby. I’m not mad at you, alright? I could never be angry with you.” Isaac sat for a second longer, stiff as a board and trying assess the situation; or rather if was in trouble or not. Derek just continued to rub his back and made sure to keep his face and posture as calm as possible. 

The kid relaxed finally after a moment or two, going back to his previous position with his face pressed into Derek’s neck. He dropped the subject for the time being, seeing that it wasn’t going to benefit anyone to push it. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

That same night, Isaac didn’t want to sleep in his bed. He begged to sleep with Derek, not wanting to be alone. Though, that was only part of Isaac’s fear of sleeping in his room. The other part was that he was afraid he’d wake and Derek would be gone because, in Isaac’s mind, he had done something wrong. The logic of a 4 year old states that you can’t leave me if I’m latched onto to you like a octopus. Derek was certain that the root of the problem was his reaction to Isaac insisting upon not meeting the pack. He was still irritated with himself about that, mainly because he knew better. 

The bedtime routine started off the same way it had for about two weeks now. The first week Isaac was living there was a sort of testing week to see what worked and what didn’t. They found out rather quickly that the perfect routine was to give Isaac a bath, get him in his pajamas, get his teeth brushed, read a book or two, and then cuddle for a few minutes. Sticking to that exactly was extremely important but Derek realized while Isaac was getting his pjs on that the routine wouldn’t help him tonight. 

The little boy was moving at an especially sluggish pace which wasn’t completely unusual but he seemed on edge on top of that. It’s almost like Isaac was trying to draw it out as long as possible. “You alright, buddy?” he asked as they were laying down to read. Isaac nodded, not meeting Derek’s questioning look and keeping his eyes on the book he’d picked out. “Isaac, what’s wrong?” His tone was slightly firmer but he kept his voice quiet and soft so hopefully he wouldn’t cause him to clam up even more. 

“Can I sleep with you?” The expression on his face as he stared up at Derek could be labeled as nothing but desperation. Derek wanted to say no only because he didn’t want this to become a habit; Isaac not wanting to sleep in his own bed. He wouldn't deny him there was obviously something really bothering Isaac and it would be cruel to say no. Plus, Isaac didn't ask to do this very often so he didn't think it had the potential to become a regular thing. 

“Of course, baby. Are you scared of having a nightmare?” he asked as they made their way to Derek’s room, Isaac’s small hands still clutching the forgotten momentarily book. “Don’t wanna be by myself.” Derek didn’t press any further since it was now later than when Isaac usually lays down, but that still raised red flags in Derek's head. He'd have to address it but not tonight. 

Once they got settled in Derek’s large bed, the bedtime routine was continued with Derek reading the book that Isaac picked out. It was Corduroy, the book about the bear, and the book that Isaac was utterly obsessed with. He downright refused to read anything else since they’d first read it a few days ago. They got through it relatively quickly since by now they both had it memorized. 

Isaac didn’t fall asleep until 8:00, but since it was Friday, Derek wasn’t too worried about it. What did worry him a little is the fact that Isaac was glued to his side and whenever he so much as shifted an inch, Isaac’s grip tightened. Derek started thinking about Isaac’s behavior earlier in detail. He didn’t want to be alone, he tried to make getting ready for bed last longer, and he was clingier that usual.

A few minutes later, he came to the jarring conclusion that Isaac was afraid that if he let Derek out of sight, that Derek wouldn’t be there when he woke up. What a terrifying thought for child to have, especially at such a young age. Derek made up his mind that he was going to be extra indulgent to Isaac’s wants for the next couple days. Not that wasn’t already, but he was going to be that much more attentive. 

Also, he was going to put off Isaac meeting the pack for two or three more weeks; or maybe less. He was going to play it by ear, but he wasn’t going to push it again. He saw what that caused and he didn’t ever want Isaac to feel anything less that safe and secure with him. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

With the morning came the confirmation of Derek’s suspicions. He woke up at five minutes till 8:00 and unsurprisingly found Isaac still wrapped around him. He gingerly moved Isaac until he was curled up on Derek’s chest, that way when he got out of bed, he could do so without waking the snoozing boy. He sauntered downstairs, squinting at the bright sunlight breaking through the large windows. He didn’t get near as much sleep as Isaac did so the sun wasn’t really welcoming at the moment. Derek really wanted to crawl back into bed but, unfortunately, he couldn’t. After all, breakfast was not going to fix itself. 

While still cradling the little boy in his arms, Derek managed to flip on the TV with one free hand and even got it turned onto a channel geared towards preschool aged kids. Derek took a risk and oh so carefully laid Isaac on the sofa, holding his breath until Isaac was no longer in physical contact with Derek. He quickly drew the curtains, successfully blocking out the harsh sunshine that just happened to be hitting the sofa directly. 

He had the strongest urge to spend the day telling Isaac the various funny stories involving the pack he had in his memory. There were so many he could tell him but he was positive that it wasn't the right time for those tales. He was sure that they would warm Isaac up to the idea of meeting them, but it would probably backfire on him today. He'd save them for a different day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I didn't write Isaac actually meeting the pack in this chapter but I will write it at some point. I just don't know when it'll be. I'll have to really put thought into it since there will be multiple people present and talking instead of two or three. I've never written anything like that so it'll take a bit of planning on my part. I'm sorry if the chapter title is a bit misleading. I couldn't think of anything else to call it.


	5. Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac's first sleepover that involves the pack. Things don't go as smoothly as Derek had hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I know it's been a while since I last updated. I had a bit of writer's block, I guess you could say. By the way, if anyone want's to give me prompts for a chapter or if there's anything you want me write about, please feel free to let me know :) Once again, I apologize and take full responsibility for all mistakes.

Isaac had just turned four years old before he was adopted by Derek. The little boy couldn’t quite grasp the concept of birthdays yet, especially the idea of getting gifts for simply being born. That wasn’t hard to understand considering he’s never truly had a birthday party-not even an acknowledgement of his birthday in his life. Derek wanted to remedy this by giving Isaac a positive experience with a birthday party. It was about 3 months too late, but he really didn’t want to wait until his next one. He didn’t want anything really big or grand, but something special nonetheless. Isaac met the pack the day of the little get together Derek had arranged for a late birthday celebration. It went very smoothly and Derek was happy with the turnout.

Isaac got a couple presents from everyone, ranging from clothes to toys and books. His blue eyes lit up at each wrapped box and gift bag, and the attention he received seemed to confuse him. Melissa had managed to come bearing a Frozen themed cake, just adding to the enchantment of the event. 

The little boy wasn’t used to so much positive attention from so many people all at once, overwhelmed by all eyes being on him. They managed to get through the opening of two presents before Isaac’s face found Derek’s neck. Of course, no one was angry or upset, which was the opposite of what Isaac had expected from people he’d never met before. Derek just assured Isaac that they would open them later before bedtime. The cake that stole the show was a good distraction and Isaac’s face lit up the second he took the first bite. 

After the wariness wore off, he was pretty much right at home with the pack. Isaac had been completely enamored by Stiles and Malia. He would just sit and watch them interact with each other, in other words bicker, like it was the most fascinating thing. After he got over the initial shyness and apprehension, he was right at home with everyone. 

Lydia and Allison cooed over him and was borderline motherly towards him, something he had likely never experienced very much. Kira was nervous since she wasn’t sure how to act or what to say to a child that had been abused, but Scott was a natural at making people feel comfortable. Erica and Boyd were hesitant since Boyd was a very imposing person due to his size, but Erica’s unwavering confidence gave them an air of easiness.

Isaac had become wrapped up with Boyd within 30 minutes despite his troubled past with men. Boyd always had this calmness about him and apparently Isaac also sensed it. 

They all met at the loft at 12 noon and it was now approaching 5:00. Isaac was totally worn out by now and the little boy ended up falling asleep in Boyd’s lap, which was now captured on everyone’s phone. Derek announced that since it was getting later that it was time to end the party and call it a day. Thankfully they had all eaten dinner already, so Derek didn't have to worry about getting a cranky preschooler to sit down and eat. Everyone seemed to feel the same, some hesitantly, but only one completely disagreed that plan.

Isaac pouted and was less than pleased about them leaving, and that’s when Derek came up with the idea of a pack member staying at the loft for a weekend every two or three weeks. The loft had two spare bedrooms that never got used so that would work out perfectly. Isaac loved the idea of a sleepover, which ended up causing a slight change of what Derek originally intended. Instead of one pack member sleeping over, the entire pack was sleeping over tonight. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Everybody happily agreed to it and it was then that Derek knew it was going to be a long night. Well, everyone except the Sheriff and Melissa due to them having to work early the next morning. 

They had the sleeping situation sorted out rather quickly since Derek just set the Scott and Kira and Erica and Boyd up in the two spares and the rest were put in the living room. Stiles tried to claim the sofa but he was almost instantly overruled by Malia and Allison, who both could fit on it if they squished together. “Oh, come on. I’m the only on the floor, how is that fair? It would make sense for two people to be on the floor and one person on the couch.” Derek could only imagine his hands flying through the air as he gestured through his rant and his eyes bugging out of his head. If only he had been in the room to witness it. It was no use; they were not going to budge. Derek made sure to give him more blankets and pillows since he had been banished to the floor. 

In spite of Isaac having made fantastic progress in the three months of being with Derek, that didn’t mean that incidences wouldn’t happen when old behaviors would rise to the surface. He was always on guard for that exact reason, but things still slipped past him. The little boy wasn’t a fan of loud noises or yelling of any kind; it didn’t matter if it was playful or not. Of course, Derek had warned all of them about the things that they desperately needed to be careful about but that wasn’t always 100% effective. 

Well, Boyd and Stiles tended to but heads over the stupidest of things and this time they decided to be extremely loud about it. Boyd’s size and presence made him intimidating enough, but when he raised his voice, it was more than enough to frighten a small child to death. 

“Goddamn it, Stiles! Shut the hell up!” Boyd’s voice thundered from the living room, sounding through the entire loft. Derek was in the kitchen with Isaac and he knew that this was not going to end well the second he heard it. His eyes flew to Isaac, trying to gauge his reaction. Isaac had jumped about five feet in the air, his head snapping towards the living room. Derek immediately crossed to the table, crouching in front of him in an attempt to soothe him. 

His eyes filled with tears and were flicking wildly between the kitchen doorway and Derek, almost as if he was looking for a way out. His breathing became ragged, creating a grating sound forcing its way from his parted, trembling mouth. His face screwed up and broken sobs filled the silence replacing the shouting from just a few minutes ago. “Isaac, baby, shhh. Come here.” Derek murmured in the hopes of consoling the upset boy. Isaac wasted no time in burrowing himself into Derek’s strong arms, his wet face pressed against Derek’s neck. Derek felt tiny hand clutching at the back of shirt, cluing Derek in on just how frightened Isaac is. 

He heard someone edge towards the doorway and he quickly put his hand up to stop them form coming in. He steadily got to his feet and just as he was about to head to Isaac’s room, a bloodcurdling scream pierced his left ear and the hands at his back literally dug into his skin. He spun around to see Boyd looking around the corner, his face full of concern and a good amount of guilt. Derek shook his head firmly while motioning for Boyd to get out. He knew he felt bad, but Derek couldn’t worry about that right now. 

He rubbed his kid’s back and cooed nonsense into his ear as they walked to Isaac’s room, all while gently bouncing Isaac in his arms.

“You’re okay. Everything’s okay. Boyd got annoyed with Stiles, but it’s over now. You’re safe. Everyone is safe.” He continued this mantra until Isaac’s chest stopped heaving altogether. He was seated on the edge the bed with Isaac curled up in his lap, the little boy still shaken up. 

“I-I wanna s-sleep with you.” Isaac stuttered out, still sniffling every few seconds. Derek knew this was coming and there was not way he could deny the request. “Of course, buddy. You can sleep with me tonight.” Isaac nodded and popped his thumb into his mouth, his main self-soothing behavior that just didn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. "Are you about ready for bed?" His ears picked up another sniffle before a timid "Yes" followed behind it. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

He'd made sure that Isaac was settled in his room before making a quick trip to the living room and to give them an explanation. Boyd apologized profusely, but Derek wasn't angry with him. Boyd was upset with himself enough for all of them so he wasn't going to unnecessarily add to it. Stiles tried to apologize as well, but Derek stopped both of them. "It's alright. He's okay and that's what matters. But, I do not want it to happen ever again." He added sternly. Both Boyd and Stiles nodded before he had even finished speaking. 

"Okay, Isaac and I are heading to bed. Thank you all for agreeing to this. It really means a lot to me. And Isaac. Goodnight" He left them with a smile and a small chorus of "goodnights" came from behind him. 

Isaac was dead to the world when Derek got back to his room. Derek fell asleep to the sounds of Isaac's soft breathing and his steady heartbeat. The even breaths and heartbeats coming from the rest of the loft were a companion to the soothing beats right beside him. Sleep took him without any struggle.


	6. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not only will this be Isaac's first Valentine's Day, but it will also be his first positive experience with celebrating a holiday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so late, but here we go. I'm so scatterbrained right now and add my anxiety on top of that and you have me not writing anything for several weeks. Another thing, I think I've been unintentionally switching between past and present tenses so just to be sure, this chapter is set in present times.

Derek had been excited for Valentine’s Day to come. It was Isaac’s first time celebrating it and he was hell-bent on making it as special as possible. He knew that Valentine’s day wasn’t really something you were obligated to make a big deal over, but it was one of the many fun holidays that Isaac had never experienced before. That motivated him to not let any opportunity of making something special for his kid pass him by. 

Usually for kids Isaac’s age, Valentine’s Day consists of a fun party at school with decorated classrooms, candy, and Valentine cards; and whatever the parent decide to do on top of that. Isaac wasn’t in school yet so Derek was going to do it completely on his own. He didn’t plan on asking Scott or anyone else, thinking that they all had dates or arrangements of their own to tend to. He did however plan on letting Isaac make cards for all them since the boy practically flew out of his seat when Derek had mentioned it.

They were all going to swing by early in the day to hang out just so Isaac could properly hand them out. That way, they could spend a bit of time with him and make it on time to their own plans for later that evening.

The few days that lead up to the candy and heart-filled holiday were spent explaining it to the little boy. It’s such a commercialized day that you couldn’t go out anywhere or ever turn on the TV without seeing something mentioning it; and that prompted quite a few questions from Isaac. 

“Why are there hearts everywhere?” he’d wonder out loud while they passed a shop at the mall. 

“Well, because Valentine’s Day is coming up and it’s all about the people you love and care about.” Derek felt like that was a simple and concise answer. 

“What’s Valentine’s Day?” Derek looked down to be met with cornflower eyes gazing up at him, searching for an answer. 

“Valentine’s Day is a holiday that happens on the 14th of February every year. It’s all about showing the people you love just how much you care about them. That’s why everyone has red and pink hearts everywhere. People also give each other gifts like candy, flowers, cards, and stuffed animals.” 

“Oh. Okay.” The conversation came to a stop for a couple minutes until Isaac asked in a hopeful voice “Am I going to get hearts and candy?” 

Derek smiled down at him, amused but not surprised that candy was one of his worries. “Oh yes, you’re going to get candy and a couple surprises.” 

Isaac’s naturally big eyes widened even further at the prospect of surprises but didn't say anything else. They continued walking in silence for a couple minutes more before the boy's curiosity got the best of him.

"What kind of surprises?" The whisper was so muted that Derek had to strain to here it in the busy mall, werewolf hearing be damned. Derek didn't respond until they reached an empty food court table and sat down so he could not only hear him better but also look at him. 

Derek pretended to think about it, an exaggerated look of pondering on his face. 

"Hmm. I don't know. Maybe a new plush. You'll have to wait and see though." He knew that Isaac loved stuffed animals and plushes so he thought that would be more than enough to grab his attention. 

A pout formed on Isaac's face and he sighed deeply like Derek just put a major burden upon him. He tried to lighten the mood since this seem to genuinely bother Isaac. 

"Hey, none of that. No need to turn into a sourpuss." The chiding, if you could even call it that, was gentle and playful. He smiled and reached over to tickle him, knowing he's extremely ticklish. 

That did the trick. The second Derek's fingers came in contact with Isaac sides, hysterical giggles burst out of him.

"No! S-stop it, please!!" The plea was stuttered out between breathless laughs that gave Derek the purest sense of contentment. This is what he strived to do everyday, to make his child laugh and smile. 

"Okay, okay. You're free." The look of relief that crossed Isaac's face pulled another chuckle from Derek. He took a minute to take a look at the food places around them, knowing that Isaac was probably hungry. 

Just as he was deciding which place would be best, a timid voice caught his attention. "Derek?" He turned his back to Isaac, noticing a look on his face that looked to be somewhere between panic and embarrassment. 

"What's the matter, buddy?" He got ready to jump up if need be, not sure what could be wrong. 

"I gotta pee. Really bad." He wiggled in his chair as if to emphasize the urgency.

"Oh, let's go." They rushed to the bathroom that was thankfully right where they were sitting, otherwise there might have been an accident. Derek was going to have to be cautious with the tickling from now on. 

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

After they got home from the mall with their bellies full pizza, Derek helped Isaac make Valentine's Day cards for the pack. Isaac insisted on making them himself instead of buying one of the boxed sets. Derek had made sure they got home before 6pm so they had plenty of time to make them before it was bedtime for Isaac.

They had construction paper, markers, stickers, glitter, and glue strewn about on the tabletop. Isaac needed a bit of help with writing and using the scissors but other than that, Derek let him take the lead and do whatever he wanted with them. 

By the time they were done, they had created 9 heart shaped-as per Isaac's request-cards for the people they both cared about. Derek could tell Isaac was excited to give them out to everybody, so much that the little boy didn't want to wait until the morning. 

"Come on, Isaac. It's bedtime." The sleepy look on the kid's face told him that it was about that time, which worked out great with it actually being Isaac's bedtime. Isaac insisted on helping with the clean-up so Derek asked him to put the markers back in the bin they were kept in. Isaac really liked to help whenever he could and Derek made sure to give him plenty of praise for it each time. Derek would get the glitter bomb that used to be the kitchen table later.

After his bath, teeth-brushing, story, and post-bedtime bathroom break, Isaac was in bed and down for the count. Isaac had had Derek carry him upstairs, something that Isaac only asked for when he was really tired, scared, or sick. Derek was reassured that Isaac would sleep through the night so he could make sure everything was in order for tomorrow.

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Isaac's first celebrated Valentine's Day was a full-on success. Altogether, he received a small, Frozen-themed box of chocolates, cards from the pack and Derek, and quite a few brand new plushes, most of which were Valentines themed in one way or another. Not a bad haul and if Isaac was happy, then Derek was happy as well. 

The little boy was able to give the pack their cards, which Derek took pictures of and even a video. The look of pride that was fixed on Isaac's face while he was handing them out, one by one, is something Derek won't ever forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I take full responsibility for any and all mistakes.


	7. There's a First Time for Everything part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do you ever have one of those days where it seems like everything is going how it should, but then something that seems so insignificant happens and then the whole day is ruined? This is one of those days.

Derek had learned throughout the course of his life that it really didn't take much for a good day to turn into a bad day at the drop of a hat. He also knew that it was damn near impossible to salvage those days that suddenly go sour; that there isn't anything to do except try again the next day and hope for the best. Isaac and him have had their fair share of days of that sort and Derek could almost feel when one was coming on. They usually start off with something along the lines of Isaac getting sick, having a nightmare, worrying that he had done something wrong and that he was in trouble, or being grumpy and hard to get along with. Sometimes it was a combination of any one of those and they ultimately set the mood for the day. It had been a little bit since they had the privilege of experiencing a day gone sour, so Derek knew that it was just a matter of time until they had one. 

As it turned out, it had only been around a week after Valentine's Day when Derek and Isaac finally had their sour day. It was a Saturday, which meant that Derek had planned on having a lazy day at home since Isaac didn't have preschool and Isaac had mentioned being tired the past couple mornings when Derek got him up for school. That was warning number one of what was to come in the following days, though Derek hadn't taken notice of it until that Saturday morning. Isaac was usually a little quiet and sleepy in the mornings; tending to be a little clingy while Derek tried to wrestle some clothes onto him. Now, when they didn't really have anywhere to be at any certain time, Derek let Isaac sleep as late as wanted, which normally wasn't any later than 9:00am or 10:00am. If he wasn't awake by then, Derek checks on him and then coaxes him awake with the promises of food and as many morning hugs as he wants. 

Unfortunately, it was one of those mornings where Derek had to wake Isaac up and it looked like it was going to take more than hugs or food to save this day from going in the record books. 

Derek had gone ahead and made a quick breakfast before rousing Isaac, hoping that maybe the smell of food would wake him up and make his job a little easier. 

Of course, no such luck. 

He made sure that the stove and everything was shut off before he made his way upstairs, trying to keep his steps soft and slow. Another thing he'd learned is that waking Isaac up slowly and quietly is the best way to go. Any sudden noise or movements would only scare him and then he would be inconsolable for at least a half hour, which made Derek feel like the biggest jerk that had ever lived.

He continued on down the hallway, somehow managing to not hit any loud creaks in the floorboards. He had made it down the hallway and to Isaac’s door before this odd sense of something hit him; it wasn’t quite dread, but it wasn’t a particularly pleasant feeling either. This sent off a little alarm bell in his head and he didn’t hesitate to pull Isaac’s door open, a sense of urgency working its way up from deep within his gut. 

He was relieved to see that Isaac looked to be peacefully sleeping in his bed, right where he was supposed to be. The little boy was curled up underneath his covers, so much that the only part of him that was visible was his signature curly, blonde bedhead. 

He wasn’t completely sure where that bad feeling had come from but it still had him on guard, figuring that it happened for a reason and Derek knew by now that he had to trust his instincts. It wasn’t something he should ignore. 

Derek walked slowly over to the bed in the corner, keeping his steps light and even, still feeling like he should approach with caution. 

He begins the wakeup routine just as he does every single day by gently running his fingers through the boy’s soft curls, keeping an even rhythm and trying not to hit any tangles. In the beginning, when he was trying to find how to wake Isaac up without it ending in chaos, he tried a bunch of different things. He tried playing with his hair on a whim, and out of a tiny bit of desperation, and it turned out that Isaac absolutely loves having his hair played with. 

That was the one of the first times that Derek felt like he was doing a good job; something as small as that gave him that sense that he was a good father. 

His fingers made the same even motion until he felt Isaac stir a little, his breathing was changing as he was starting to wake up. He made sure not to speak or make any noise until that point, it only proved to scare the little boy in the past. It wasn’t a short process by any means and it was pretty involved, but Derek was determined to do it that way. Whatever works for Isaac is what he’s going to do. 

In the still quiet of the room, Derek started phase two, which involves him talking softly, almost in a whisper and trying to rouse Isaac the rest of the way awake. 

“Isaac. Come on, it’s time to get up buddy. You don’t want to sleep the whole day away, do you?” 

“I got breakfast waiting for us downstairs, so we have to go eat, okay?”

“Let’s open those eyes, sweetheart.” 

It went on like that until Isaac actually decided to open his eyes just enough to stare blearily up at Derek, looking less than impressed. Derek just couldn’t fight against the smile that spread across his face at seeing that look. 

“Are you finally with me? Ready to get up and eat?” he quietly asked the question while pretty much knowing the answer he’d receive. 

He turned out to be right.  
All he received in response was a shake of Isaac’s head, accompanied by his thumb finding its way into his mouth. Derek was aware that he should be working on getting Isaac out of this habit, but it wasn’t really on his main list of current priorities. 

Derek sighed, realizing that he would have to resort to plan B. 

He got to his feet from where he was kneeling beside Isaac’s bed and turned around to sit on the edge, hoping that this would work. 

“Come on. Hop on up there.” Derek was fully aware that Isaac loved piggy back rides and he was more than willing to use that to his own personal advantage. 

He heard the shuffling noise of Isaac wiggling out from beneath the covers and clumsily trying to stand up on the mattress and breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe today would go smoothly and there wouldn’t be any fights.

Trying to reason with a tired four year-old, especially his tired four year-old, was just about impossible and there’s about a million other things that Derek would rather do than that. 

He waited until he felt Isaac’s little arms wound themselves around his neck, just about choking him before he reached behind and grabbed the equally little legs that were just barely touching the bed still. 

He carefully got to his feet and had managed to venture out of the room, down the hallway, and began lumbering down the stairs before that hopeful feeling was able to fully take root in his chest. 

Today was going to be a good day and they were going to have fun. 

Yeah. Talk about famous last words. 

~.~.~.~.~.~

By the time breakfast had been partially eaten, that hopeful feeling Derek had felt just a litter over a half hour ago had been obliterated. 

It never even had a chance. 

Everything had been going alright until Derek had attempted to put Isaac down into his seat, which had triggered the worst fit Derek had ever seen this kid throw. Screaming, crying, clinging, if it had ever been done by an upset child, Isaac had done it tenfold. 

Derek had to put Isaac down just so he didn’t end up dropping him, he was thrashing around so violently. Once he had gotten him in the seat safely, Derek crouched down in front of him, wanting to get to the bottom of the overblown reaction just from Derek trying to put him down. That was made a little difficult since Isaac was still crying and was still trying to stay in physical contact with Derek, his little fingers grabbing at Derek’s arms in order to maintain whatever grip he could. 

It was nothing short of distressing; seeing just how red the little boy’s face had gotten, speaking of how upset he was. Derek was beginning to fear that if he didn’t get Isaac calmed down here soon, he would choke from harsh sobs that were tearing out of him. 

“Hey, Isaac. You need to tell me what’s wrong, okay? You’re going to end up hurting yourself and we don’t want that. Can you tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart?” he murmured in an attempt to soothe his child, which didn’t seem to be doing any good. He tried his hardest to keep his tone calm, not wanting to upset him any further, but the situation was getting to him. It hurt a lot to see Isaac so distraught and the urgency Derek was feeling to get the boy calmed down wasn’t helping. 

Isaac fiercely shook his head, still trying to get a death grip on the sleeves of Derek’s shirt. 

“N-no! I want up! Don’t w-wanna be put do-own!” 

The tears and choked out sobs wouldn’t let up, causing his voice to have a hysterical edge and his words to come out broken and hard to make out. 

That told that Derek that not only was this a tantrum, but Isaac was most definitely an overtired little boy who just needed more sleep. If it were anything more else, then Isaac would have withdrawn and refused to say anything. 

He’s thrown fits before, of course. What kid hasn’t? But this was, without a doubt, the worst one Derek had seen so far. 

It looks like he’s going to have to try to reason with not only a tired four-year old, but one that’s already worked himself into hysterics and it’s not even noon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, it's been well over a year and a half since I've written anything, so here we go. I hope this is alright considering my inspiration has been severely lacking and it's been a wild year. It's cut into two parts because I need to put a lot of thought into what I write right now and I want it to be at the very least decent. Chances are that there are mistakes that I missed so I apologize for those mistakes in advance.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my first ever fanfiction. Comment if you want, it would really be appreciated. Any criticism is very welcome. I wrote this because this is the kind of fanfic I've wanted to read but there aren't very many of these around, or at least not that I've seen. I decided to write one myself, in case anyone else likes to read ones like this. This is just a bit of what floats around in my head. I take responsibility for any and all mistakes.


End file.
